FGW train faults

[Parallel]

Over the past week or so, FGW seem to have had unusually high levels of train faults. Also, two separate HST sets have failed at Bath Spa the last two days - I've witnessed both (today it was 1C16, 13:30 London Paddington - Bristol Temple Meads, and yesterday, 1C24, 17:30 London Paddington - Taunton) blocking one platform causing major disruption.

My train home today was also crawling between Bath and Westbury, arriving at Westbury 28 minutes late despite no obvious signalling problems, although the reported reason for the delay was "due to a delay on a previous journey" what the previous delay was, I don't know (It was listed as leaving Great Malvern only 8 mins late and it seems to had lost time every station)

The journey check website has listed more a fair few other train faults in the last couple of days. Is this something to do with the weather/leaf fall (it hasn't been horrendous weather around the Bath area and indeed other places in the west), or is it just running knackered rolling stock/poor maintenance, or just coincidence? Or a mixture? Just interested to know people's thoughts!

 

[HarleyDavidson]

FGW have a backlog on maintenance courtesy of the Dawlish sea wall problem.

Whist Laira were able to deal with a certain amount of the HST maintenance, there are some things which they can't deal with and need visits to OOC to sort out. The sets are fit to run, it's just the weather seems to be antagonising some of the minor faults and turning them into more major ones.

 

[BestWestern]

What were the two failures at Bath?

Certainly on the west fleet it's fair to suggest that the fleet is stretched very close to breaking point, with short forming a frequent occurrence and train faults not at all unusual. Sadly FGW are one of a number of tocs making do with inadequate amounts of rolling stock, and however you juggle things if you are mega-sweating your assets it will become apparent before long.

 

[VisualAcid]

Last two days I've seen two HST's crawl along the passing loop just after Bath Spa around 6ish but were still fully lit? Stood out for me because it's used like once a month hehe.

 

[al.currie93]

I too saw a HST stationed in that passing loop at around 1830 as I walked over the bridge that crosses the loop. The lead locomotive was right underneath, so it was a very rare sight :P

I was with a couple of friends who were wondering why it had stopped just short of Oldfield Park and made comments like "It's got to be waiting for a red signal" and "It's probably waiting for another train to pass"; it took a few minutes to convince them that it had probably failed :P

 

[Rich McLean]

As a result of this, some of the Peak Oxfords tonight will be Turbo vice HST due to poor availability.

 

[Strathclyder]

As a result of this, some of the Peak Oxfords tonight will be Turbo vice HST due to poor availability.

Yeesh, wouldn't want to be on those services....

 

[Rapidash]

Brakes on the Pacer I was on yesterday refused to release causing about 15 -20 mins of delay. Ended up going straight through to Paignton from Newton Abbot which is fairly rare. Turned out the answer was decoupling and recoupling the two 143's at EXD.Turned out to be a case of the 'Have you turn it off and on again?''s One of the doors was knackered as well, causing the guard no end of grief.

Still, could have been worse, the brakes might not have wanted to engage at all!

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Brakes on the Pacer I was on yesterday refused to release causing about 15 -20 mins of delay. Ended up going straight through to Paignton from Newton Abbot which is fairly rare. Turned out the answer was decoupling and recoupling the two 143's at EXD.Turned out to be a case of the 'Have you turn it off and on again?''s One of the doors was knackered as well, causing the guard no end of grief.

Still, could have been worse, the brakes might not have wanted to engage at all!

Look at it this way, you'd have made history by being one of the few through services to Kingswear.

 

[Rapidash]

Look at it this way, you'd have made history by being one of the few through services to Kingswear.

Knowing my luck we'd have floated over to the Station in Dartmouth and got food poisoning as well

The fitters and engineers must be pulling out all the stops at the depot at the mo, as I'm not encountering *that* many issues on a day to day basis. Atleast the grockle swarms are mostly gone now, as the additional crowding would probably conk the fleet out!

When are the thames valleys leccyfied exactly?!

 

[83G/84D]

Paddington to Penzance HST earlier terminated at Par as running on one engine. 57604 was sent from Penzance and dragged / shadowed it to Plymouth.

 

[Parallel]

What were the two failures at Bath?

I'm not sure, nobody on the platform was told. They were both sitting at platform 1 for a while before moving (I presume) to the loop near Oldfield Park.

This morning, the 07:30 service from Cardiff was reported as only having 3 (vice the usual 5) carriages to Bristol due to a train fault. I'm glad I'm not on that train!

 

[PHILIPE]

I'm not sure, nobody on the platform was told. They were both sitting at platform 1 for a while before moving (I presume) to the loop near Oldfield Park.

This morning, the 07:30 service from Cardiff was reported as only having 3 (vice the usual 5) carriages to Bristol due to a train fault. I'm glad I'm not on that train!

Whenever there is no train available for whatever reason, FGW always say "Earlier Train Fault"

 

[ValleyLines142]

This morning, the 07:30 service from Cardiff was reported as only having 3 (vice the usual 5) carriages to Bristol due to a train fault. I'm glad I'm not on that train!

Never to god!!

I'm a regular on this service and even with 5 coaches it's hell!

I bet it was STUFFED. I got the Paignton train instead. Although I wish I'd have seen it this morning!

 

[Rapidash]

Another 143 out of action this morning - one half of the 0913 out of Paignton, aka the first off-peak all stops along the sea. Aka a crushload from Teignmouth.The guard was very apologetic and suggested we go on the fgw website and make a complaint. Glad im offf for a few days, as I dont want to be around for the Great Half-Term Fleeing Home that'll happen tomorrow!

 

[ValleyLines142]

Another 143 out of action this morning - one half of the 0913 out of Paignton, aka the first off-peak all stops along the sea. Aka a crushload from Teignmouth.The guard was very apologetic and suggested we go on the fgw website and make a complaint. Glad im offf for a few days, as I dont want to be around for the Great Half-Term Fleeing Home that'll happen tomorrow!

There's no point in the passengers complaining as FGW will only tell them what they say to everyone who complains on their Facebook page about overcrowding, which is a national shortage of stock. They'll only get an apology, an explanation and a 'I hope you'll have a much smoother journey with us next time'.

 

[455driver]

There's no point in the passengers complaining as FGW will only tell them what they say to everyone who complains on their Facebook page about overcrowding, which is a national shortage of stock. They'll only get an apology, an explanation and a 'I hope you'll have a much smoother journey with us next time'.

Yeah isnt it awful when the TOC tells the truth! :roll:

 

[Parallel]

Was due to catch the 18:07 Weymouth service from Bath this evening (ex-Gloucester) but the service had developed a mechanical fault which was being attended to at Temple Meads, and so all passengers travelling to all stations towards Weymouth were advised to catch the 18:26 Westbury train (ex Bristol Parkway), although it was a 3 car 158, it was still crush loaded and leaking water in the vestibule (which was odd as it wasn't raining??)

Now this Weymouth train usually tends to be 2 x 150 (from Bristol at least). I'm wondering if anyone knew what the specific fault was? It was already heavily delayed heading into Bristol and has arrived in Weymouth about an hour ago about 45 mins late. Guess cancelling it wouldn't have been a great option as there isn't another train for 3 hours!

 

[BestWestern]

Water in a class 158 vestibule is usually the aircon (especially if it isn't raining!)

 

[Envoy]

No water in a First Class coach on the 9.15 from PAD > CDF on Friday 31 October 2014.

158's often have failed Air Con.

 

[vicbury]

No water in a First Class coach on the 9.15 from PAD > CDF on Friday 31 October 2014.

158's often have failed Air Con.

Let me correct that: 158s usually have failed air con!

When I complained to FGW all they could say is that maintenance and their supplier are aware of the issue and are looking at a solution. So I asked when this would happen, to which I got a vague ramble about maintenance being an ongoing process..

 

[455driver]

Should have told them to ask SWTs Salisbury depot what they have done to their 159s.

 

[PHILIPE]

Let me correct that: 158s usually have failed air con!

When I complained to FGW all they could say is that maintenance and their supplier are aware of the issue and are looking at a solution. So I asked when this would happen, to which I got a vague ramble about maintenance being an ongoing process..

The problem has existed for 24 years when 158s were first introduced so why hasn't a solution been found yet so hardly think still an ongoing process !!!

 

[455driver]

SWT have sorted their 158 and 159s okay.

 

[Martin_1981]

The fact that all of FGW's train fleets are over 20 years old probably doesn't do justice! Their rolling stock is very dated compared with, say Cross Country, whose fleet is considerable more modern and no older than 15 years, with the exception of their few HST's of course.

 

[Rapidash]

Not going to change for a long time, though. When the Turbos are dropped down to Bristol and the 158's and 150's down to Exeter, they will all be around 30 years old, give or take a year.

Not to worry, electrification is on the cards! Can't wait for the 508's!

 

[TEW]

SWT have sorted their 158 and 159s okay.

Compared to other 158s they have but the SWT 158/159 aircon is still unreliable compared to most trains. It's still pretty common to see carriages with open windows around in the summer.

 

[Flamingo]

No water in a First Class coach on the 9.15 from PAD > CDF on Friday 31 October 2014.

Do you mean no rainwater leaking, no tap-water, no toilet flushing, no complementary bottled water (still or sparkling), no hot water, no tonic water on the buffet to go with your first gin of the day, or was it a really bad day and all of the above?

 

[455driver]

Compared to other 158s they have but the SWT 158/159 aircon is still unreliable compared to most trains. It's still pretty common to see carriages with open windows around in the summer.

In all my time at SWT I can count on both hands how many times I have seen 159s with the windows open.

 

[vicbury]

So is there a reason the air con rarely works on FGW's Class 158s, or is it just FGW being stingy / incompetent?